Author
Topic: how do I extract honey without mechanical extractor? (Read 9985 times)

I may be just extracting enough honey for personal use this year and need to know how to do this and still leave the drawn comb in tact... similar to how it is left after the honey has been extracted mechanically.

Well, you could slide a frame into a piece of panty hose. Push the frame all the way down into the toe and pull the hose tight to support the comb. Now spin that sucker round and round over your head while someone else catches what slings out.That is the principle of extraction and if can accomplish it without mechanicals you could retire a millionaire.The only other option that comes to mind is a pipette. That's the little straw thingy lab techs use to draw up liquids for sampling, very small samples. With twenty or so thousand cells per super you might have one empty by the time the bees need again.

Just scrape the comb off of the frame into a dishpan or clean bucket. Buy a couple of 5 gallon paint strainers from the hardware store and wash well.

Squish up the comb really well, scoop it all into the paint strainer and let it drain into the bucket.

I've worked out a little better system - using free buckets with lids from the local bakery. Cut the middle out of one of the lids, put that on a bucket. Drill lots of half inch holes in the bottom of another bucket and set that ontop of the cutout lid. Then cut out yet another lid and set that ontop of all that. The paint strainer goes into the bucket with holes in the bottom, the cut lid goes on top of that to hold the strainer. The comb and honey goes in there, strains through the paint strainer, through the holes in the bottom of the bucket down into the bucket below that. It does take a while, and heat will speed it up, but I don't recommend putting it in the garage incase the bees get in.

Your options are basically "crush and strain" as Scadsobees noted, build an extractor (google for plans), or borrow one.

I borrowed extractors for years before I eventually bought one. Sometimes clubs have one they'll loan out. Some beekeepers will loan you one as long as you return it clean, others may want some kind of payment (cash, honey, labor).

Getting honey out of drawn comb while leaving the comb in tack is very difficult without an extractor. As others have said, you can uncap the frame, turn it on its side over some kind of collection pan, maybe heat it a bit with a hair dryer turned on low to make the honey a bit more runny, and hope some of the honey drips out, but you won't get it all. After you have gotten all you think you can, put the frame back in or near the hive for the bees to clean up.

That is a lot of trouble. As a hobbyist beek, I have always just "crushed and strained" the whole frame and had the girls build new foundation for the next go round. Crush and strain has the advantage of 1) getting the option to make cut comb honey, 2) ending up with a lot of extra wax you can make candles or do other things with, 3) it is actually a faster way to process than using an extractor and 4) it is much cheaper than buying an extractor, cleaning it, and finding a place to store it the other 360+ days a year you aren't using it.

Fortunately my local bee club just bought an extractor for us to share this year so I am going to get a chance to extract (with a motorized extractor no less) for the first time in 10 years. :pinkelephant:

Here is a take off the metal one on U-tubethis one should cost less the $10.00 if you have a barrel its 1 3/4 pipe and 8 to 10 nutsthreaded rod. I used a Drill It will flat out sling honey :)I found its best to sling with the drill in reverseit keeps the nuts from unscrewing

I saw this little video on you tube and I honestly see no reason why it wouldn't work. You could do just one frame if you like.The name of the video is "simple honey extractor" so just do a search on you tube and watch.Robee

Simple but elegant. I like it! I have some thoughts, before I build a variation of my own.

First, grind a hex on the end of your shaft (boy does that have connotations...), that way your nuts won't come loose (can't stop laughing) . Then you could also go bi-directional and not need to flip your frames. (Glad that's over.)

Also, does anybody know of a reason why oak could not be used to suspend the frames rather than the pipe? Oak is used to 'flavor age" some of my favorite beverages. Wine, Jack Daniels and Vernor's Ginger Ale come to mind. I wouldn't leave the honey in the (not wooden) tub so I woudn't think that it would pick up any flavor from the wood.

Sundog While your grinding your rod of course your wood can be used :shock: I used a piece of Mahogany screwed to the bottom of the barrelwith a hole bored dead center that where the acorn nut goesI even packed some bees wax in the hole

The "simple honey extractor" isn't a mechanical extractor at all. You are the mechanics. The guy takes a large clear container, puts a grate in, such as you would cool pies or cookies on, lays the frame in there, and puts the cover on. He ties it up and spins it. Very simple and you probably have everything you would need already. I am tempted on trying this with comb from one of my top bar hives or my foundationless Langs. I tried to post a link but after 4 years or so being a member, I haven't posted enough to be allowed to post links, I guess.Robee

. I am tempted on trying this with comb from one of my top bar hives or my foundationless Langs. I tried to post a link but after 4 years or so being a member, I haven't posted enough to be allowed to post links, I guess.Robee

Robee If you want to try a top bar how about one of those Bar-be-Q fish baskets the ones that close like a suitcaseYou may want to add some 1/8 inch hard ware cloth to it I would then rig a way to put the handle to a drill

Here is a take off the metal one on U-tubethis one should cost less the $10.00 if you have a barrel its 1 3/4 pipe and 8 to 10 nutsthreaded rod. I used a Drill It will flat out sling honey :)I found its best to sling with the drill in reverseit keeps the nuts from unscrewing

What about at the top?...looks like a white piece of pvc pipe extending upward from the all-thread...???

How are you attaching the drill...stacking nuts and using a socket on the drill?

Have you had any problems with the frames spinning on the all-thread shaft? Using lock washers between the nuts and pipe?

A couple of thoughts... What about cutting slots in the bottom end pieces to allow any honey might collect in the bottom to drain out? Some slots could also be cut in the pvc cross pieces to allow the ears of the honey frames to slip into, that would secure the frames even more (if needed). Stacking another set of cross pieces on top of the first ones could double the production but some way of solidly connecting the two sets of cross pieces would be required...some pvc "cross" fittings would probably work (I've seen them available for building hoop greenhouses).

Again, nice design!!!! MUCH food for thought!!! I can even envision setting up a small motor and router control to it. Thanks for posting it!!!!

Ed

Logged

www.beeweather.comAmerican blood spilled to protect the freedom and peace of people all over the world. 320,000 USA casualties in WWI, 1,076,000 USA casualties in WWII, 128,000 USA casualties in the Korean War, 211,000 casualties in the Vietnam "conflict", 57,000 USA casualties in "War on Terror". Benghazi, Libya, 13 USA casualties. These figures don't include 70,000 MIA. But, the leaders of one political party of the United States of America continue to make the statement..."What difference does it make?".

"We can't expect the American People to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism."..."The press is our chief ideological weapon." - Nikita Khrushchev